Compare the2024 Mazda 3VS 2022 Hyundai Accent

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda 3 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Accent doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Mazda 3 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Accent doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mazda 3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Accent doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Accent doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Mazda 3 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Accent doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Mazda 3’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Accent doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360-Degree Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Accent only offers a rear monitor.

The Mazda 3 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Accent offers a system to reveal objects in its blind spot.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Mazda 3’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Rear Cross Traffic Braking on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Accent doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Mazda 3’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Accent doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Mazda 3 and the Accent have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and rearview cameras.

The Mazda 3 weighs 407 to 718 pounds more than the Hyundai Accent. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda 3 is safer than the Hyundai Accent:

	Mazda 3	Accent
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	89	290
Neck Injury Risk	17%	26%
Neck Stress	214 lbs.	250 lbs.
Neck Compression	27 lbs.	40 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	153	340
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.4 inches
Neck Injury Risk	30%	56%
Neck Stress	191 lbs.	198 lbs.
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	93 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mazda 3 is safer than the Hyundai Accent:

	Mazda 3	Accent
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	112	194
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.3 inches
Abdominal Force	238 lbs.	258 lbs.
Hip Force	239 lbs.	310 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	371	527
Spine Acceleration	71 G’s	84 G’s
Hip Force	620 lbs.	635 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	10 inches	12 inches
HIC	199	214
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	35 G’s
Hip Force	527 lbs.	880 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Mazda 3, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 1.2% less likely to roll over than the Accent, which received a four-star rating.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Mazda 3 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 54 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Accent last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2018.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Hyundai is ranked 13th.

Engine

The Mazda 3’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 71 more horsepower (191 vs. 120) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 113) than the Accent’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Mazda 3’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 130 more horsepower (250 vs. 120) and 207 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 113) than the Accent’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Mazda 3 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Accent doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Mazda 3 offers an optional system to automatically turn off the engine when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Accent doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Mazda 3 FWD’s standard fuel tank has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accent (13.2 vs. 11.9 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda 3 higher (7 out of 10) than the Hyundai Accent (3). This means the Mazda 3 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Accent every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Mazda 3 AWD’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Accent:

	Mazda 3	Mazda 3 AWD	Accent
Front Rotors	11.02 inches	11.61 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.43 inches	10.43 inches	8” drums
Opt Rear Rotors			10.3 inches

The Mazda 3 has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Rear drums are standard on the Accent. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Mazda 3 stops shorter than the Accent:

	Mazda 3	Accent
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	173 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	136 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Mazda 3 has larger standard tires than the Accent (205/60R16 vs. 185/65R15). The Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Accent (215/45R18 vs. 205/45R17).

The Mazda 3 2.5 S Sedan’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Accent’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Mazda 3 2.5 S Sedan has standard 16-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Accent. The Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s 18-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Accent Limited.

The Mazda 3’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Hyundai Accent only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mazda 3’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the Accent (107.3 inches vs. 101.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mazda 3 is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Accent.

The Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback AWD handles at .88 G’s, while the Accent SE pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Mazda 3 Carbon Edition Sedan executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Accent Limited (26.7 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Mazda 3 Sedan has 2.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Accent (92.8 vs. 90.2).

The Mazda 3 Sedan has .2 inches more front legroom, 2.9 inches more front hip room, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more rear hip room than the Accent.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Accent doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Accent doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Mazda 3 Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Accent doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Mazda 3’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Accent has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Mazda 3’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Accent’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

On a hot day the Mazda 3’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Accent can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Mazda 3’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Accent’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Mazda 3’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Accent’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Mazda 3’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Accent’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Mazda 3’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Accent’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The Mazda 3 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Accent has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the SEL/Limited.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Mazda 3 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Accent doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Mazda 3 Premium has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Accent doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Accent’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Mazda 3’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accent doesn’t offer the luxury of automatic dimming mirrors.

On extremely cold winter days, the Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus’ standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accent doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Accent doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Mazda 3 and the Accent offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Accent doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Mazda 3 has a standard Radar Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Accent doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

The Mazda 3 Premium’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Accent’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda 3 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Accent doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Mazda 3 comes in sedan and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Hyundai Accent isn’t available as a four-door hatchback.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Mazda 3 is less expensive to operate than the Accent because it costs $73 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Mazda 3 than the Accent, including $20 less for a starter and $64 less for fuel injection.

Recommendations

The Mazda 3 has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Mazda 3	Accent
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE

The Mazda 3 outsold the Hyundai Accent by 56% during 2022.